


Echo

by witchchester



Series: Talking with You [2]
Category: Psych (TV 2006)
Genre: Angst, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Episode: s4e02 He Dead, F/M, Friendship, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Shules, no beta we die like men
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-08
Updated: 2020-12-08
Packaged: 2021-03-09 18:21:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,694
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27950681
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/witchchester/pseuds/witchchester
Summary: “What would you do if they found your parents and met them without you?”Just like that, the respect she held for Abigail plummeted. The detective side of her wanted more details, but her heart didn’t need to know anything else. The urge to express how wrong that choice was settled in her throat, but she swiftly stopped herself. Her strong opinion wouldn’t answer Shawn’s question.Forcing her feelings to the side, Juliet put herself into that – his – situation. She clasped her hands together, carefully going through her thoughts. “If I set a boundary with someone and they chose to ignore it, I would take that as a sign of disrespect.”—Or the one where Shawn doesn't feel quite right after Abigail meets Henry without him, so he turns to Juliet. Set during 4x02.
Relationships: Abigail Lytar/Shawn Spencer, Juliet O'Hara & Shawn Spencer, Juliet O'Hara/Shawn Spencer
Series: Talking with You [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2046953
Comments: 4
Kudos: 22





	Echo

**Author's Note:**

> So... I'm still going through my Psych rewatch. I'm still not sure how I feel about Abigail, but I hated what she did with Henry. I feel like it could've (and should've) been addressed more. Hence this.
> 
> This is also a very similar formula to the other Psych fic I have posted. Oops.
> 
> Thanks for reading. I appreciate you.

“Can I ask you a question?”

Juliet hesitantly glanced away from her computer, zoning in on the speaker. _Shawn_. He was sitting by the desk across from her, his fists gently tapping away against the wood. She hadn’t realized he was still at the station, let alone near her. They’d wrapped up their latest case at least an hour ago.

“That depends.” She raised an eyebrow, letting her hands fall away from the keyboard. “Is it a real question?” It wouldn’t be the first time Shawn tried to entangle her in some strange conversation. He was practically known for that kind of thing.

With clearly feigned annoyance, Shawn rolled his chair out, using his legs to propel himself closer. “What? All of my questions are real.” Amusement sparked through her eyes as a small smile reached her cheeks, but a tiny hint of concern hit her too.

Ever since they started working together, Juliet constantly found herself worrying about the psychic. They weren’t given the same toolkits. While she knew how to fully handle high-risk and emotional situations, Shawn… simply didn’t. He was still capable of successfully solving cases, but he sometimes struggled with disconnecting from them.

Usually, Juliet checked in. Even if his answers were outrageous or off-topic, she could figure out the truth through his tone.

Things changed once Shawn started dating Abigail.

Instead of directly asking him, she relied on Gus to make sure Shawn was okay. It was an imperfect system she wasn’t proud of, but it was her only choice. Her bad timing at the drive-in built a tough wall between them. They’d quickly grown apart, their conversations dwindling from daily to weekly.

If she knew admitting her feelings would destroy their dynamic, she never would’ve been honest.

“Okay, fine. What’s your question?” Spinning her chair, Juliet turned until she was face-to-face with him.

Shawn lifted his hands as he looked up, his fingers dancing back and forth. Unless it was something wildly important, he didn’t usually think before speaking. Juliet was eager to get home, but she waited. Maybe their relationship was a little broken, but they were still co-workers, and she still saw him as a friend. His feelings mattered to her.

His hands suddenly dropped to his legs. “Let’s say you don’t like your parents.”

As Juliet processed his words, her eyes widened in confusion. “Okay…” She trailed off, completely unsure of where he was going. The bitter feeling in her stomach told her it was nowhere good.

“And let’s say you’re dating this amazing gi— person, right? And things are going good.” _Oh._ Was he looking for relationship advice? Considering their torn connection, she doubted she was the right person to ask. Why wasn’t he talking to Gus?

Shawn seemed to catch her discomfort. He faltered for a second, but even as his eyes flickered shut, Juliet knew no amount of uncertainty would stop him. Shawn wasn’t the type of person to leave before getting answers. For as long as she’d known him, he’d always been on that level of stubborn.

“But then they ask to meet your parents,” Shawn continued, his voice faintly changing. Juliet couldn’t quite place the difference. “And again, you don’t like your parents. So you tell them that.” His face pinched in annoyance. Juliet frowned. “Multiple times.”

He and Abigail had been dating for a little while, so hearing that she wanted to meet his parents wasn’t all that surprising. It was entirely reasonable. If she were dating someone, Juliet would’ve desired the same thing.

She realized they still hadn’t hit any questions. What was his setup leading to?

“What would you do if they went behind your back?”

Juliet stared, trying to figure out exactly what he was asking. It didn’t sound like a complete question. Shawn finally opened his eyes, sensing the confusion before quickly adding “What would you do if they found your parents and met them without you?”

Just like that, the respect she held for Abigail plummeted. The detective side of her wanted more details, but her heart didn’t need to know anything else. The urge to express how _wrong_ that choice was settled in her throat, but she swiftly stopped herself. Her strong opinion wouldn’t answer Shawn’s question.

Forcing her feelings to the side, Juliet put herself into that – _his_ – situation. She clasped her hands together, carefully going through her thoughts. “If I set a boundary with someone and they chose to ignore it, I would take that as a sign of disrespect.”

Shawn’s uncertainty shifted into disappointment. For a moment, all Juliet could do was watch him. What was he hoping to hear? That she’d be okay with her partner ripping through her listed limitations? Absolutely everyone, including Shawn, deserved to feel safe in their relationships.

“We would have a _serious_ talk,” Juliet went on. She didn’t want to scare Shawn out of his connection, but she wasn’t going to sit there and lie either. “Because I would be rightfully hurt, Shawn. Disappointed too. I mean, relationships are never perfect, but they’re not supposed to hurt.”

As Shawn sat back, he wiped his hand over his mouth. Juliet wished his inquiry would’ve been something ignorantly eccentric. The look of defeat across his features… It didn’t belong on someone as sympathetic and selfless as he was.

“She made me feel small.” Shawn barely spoke above a whisper, but his emotions yet again changed. He sounded cross, like he understood the unfairness of it. Juliet couldn’t help but feel a little proud. Sometimes, it seemed like he purposely threw himself into sour situations. Like he thought they were normal or worse, that he deserved them.

If they were still okay, she would’ve taken his hand. She would’ve held onto it and told him he was strong enough to figure everything out. Shawn probably would’ve rolled his eyes and tried to slip past it, but she would’ve insisted. She knew how to be stubborn too.

“—Just like him.” Shawn’s voice dropped in volume, but Juliet caught every word. Something inside her broke.

The psychic always had to be the loudest in the room. If someone tried to ignore him, he would instigate until he had their attention. How could he possibly feel powerless if everyone’s eyes were on him?

She always had a feeling Henry played a role in Shawn’s erratic behavior, but she didn’t think it ran _that_ deep. If he grew up being dismissed, his continual need for validation made perfect sense.

So many emotions were coursing through her, but she spoke smoothly. “They had no right.” Henry’s title didn’t give him the right to belittle him, much like Abigail’s title didn’t give her the right to disrespect him.

Shawn offered her a small smile. It made her miss the giant goofy ones that usually covered his face.

“I make it easy,” He added quietly. One step forward, two steps back. How could he make any real progress when the toxic people in his life were still there? Henry trapped him in an endless circle of doubt, and Abigail— Juliet feared she could be building a similar fortress.

“No,” Juliet murmured as she shook her head. “You’re just you.”

For a moment, their air between them rang silent. Shawn’s smile eventually grew more genuine. Juliet’s lips ended up mimicking his.

He took a deep breath, and she could almost physically see him putting his armor back on. His ability to compartmentalize quickly was both remarkable and troubling. It let him work around his trauma, but it also meant he never got to let anything go. The things that troubled him were was always there, hiding in places no one else could see.

“You know, you always make me feel better.”

As she jumped out of her thoughts, a rush of heat ran through her cheeks. Juliet had to remind herself that they weren’t dating. They weren’t the team she still wished they could be. He tended to gravitate towards people destined to break his heart, and she would _never_ fit that mark. Hurting him would hurt her more.

She hid her grief with a grin. “Do I?” She wanted to reach out – rest her hand against his face, tell him she could do this all the time – but Abigail was sitting in that space. Her mistake would doubtfully take away her seat. Shawn was too forgiving.

“You deserve to be happy, Shawn.” The psychic’s cheeks turned the same color as hers, his smile fading away. She wished that could mean something. “Don’t let anyone take that away, okay?”

Shawn didn’t say another word, but the small nod he gave was enough. No matter what their futures held, she would always want the best for him. If his happiness didn’t include her, Juliet would be okay with that. Just as long as he found it somewhere else.

He began to wheel away, heading back to the desk he was situated at. Juliet watched him for one more moment before turning away, focusing back on her computer. She’d already forgotten what she was working on. As her hands ghosted above the keys, a set of fingers suddenly rested on her shoulder. With a short flinch, she glanced up, yet again meeting Shawn’s gaze.

Staring into each other’s eyes should’ve felt awkward, but the feeling never crossed her mind. She wondered if it ever crossed his.

He gently squeezed his hand, offering a quiet “You do too, Jules. You do too.” Juliet tried to respond, but Shawn didn’t give her a chance to. By the time she understood, he was already gone.

Shutting her eyes, she let herself sink into her chair. She loved him, didn’t she? She wanted to believe she hadn’t hit that line, but the feeling inside her heart told her otherwise. When did she pass it? Had it been weeks? Months? _Years_?

She wished it mattered.

Unlike Shawn, she knew she wouldn’t be able to bury her feelings. She would have to learn to live beside them and eventually, she would have to let him go.

For now, she returned to her work, ignoring the small part of her that dreamed of more.


End file.
